Orienting device



Dec. 15, 1953 H. J. GRAHAM ETAL ORIENTING DEVICE 3 SheetS-Sheet l Filed Feb. 17, 1950 wll Dec- 15, 1953 H. J. GRAHAM ETAL ORIENTING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 17, 1950 Dec. 15, 1953 H. J. GRAHAM ErAL 2,662,626

ORIENTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 17, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jaaa/maak? fafa/J//wz Patented Dec. 15, 12953 ORIENTING DEVICE Harold J. Graham, Highland Park, and Paul F. Powder, Detroit, Mich., assignors to Graham Manufacturing Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application February 17, 1950, Serial N o. 144,728

(el. mafia) 9 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus ioraxially orienting small pieces such as studs, rivets, pins or the like having portions with different diameters or cross sections so that they Ycanbe fed to an automatic Welder or other automatic machine.

Objects of this invention areto provide a device which will successively orient a random assortment oi small pieces so that the pieces have a similar axial arrangement, which operates rapidly and automatically, `which can be adjusted to accommodate pieces oi various lengths, which can be operated pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically, which has a minimum of moving parts, which is free from jamming, which lends itseli to mass production techniques, which is simple in construction, which is economical to manufacture, and which advances the art generally.

In a principal aspect the invention contendplates two pairs of cooperating fingers disposed normally to each other at a distance substantially equal or slightly greater than the length oi the shank or other portion of the piece having the greater diameter, which lingers can be arranged as tines of biiurcated members, opposing pins, or equivalent mechanical structure. The space between the iingers of the respective pairs is lesser than the diameter of the shank portion and greater than the diameter or the smaller or tip portion oi the piece. Means areprovidedsuch as a plunger' or nger which maybe operated mechanically, electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically, depending upon the type oi control system used upon the apparatus with which the orienting device is associated, successively to force between the pairs of finger studs supplied with random axial orientation of their tips. As a piece having its tip oriented in one direction is forced between the lingers, the shank portion is restrained by the fingers of one of the pairs as the tip portion thereof passes between the fingers of the second pair so that the piece is released without change in axial orientation. As pieces having their tips oriented in the opposite direction are forced between the nger pairs, the ngers of the second pair restrain the shank. portion of each as the tip portion passes between the fingers of the rst pair thereby turning the piece end for end so that all the pieces, regardless of their original arrangement, are released from the device with the same iinal orientation.

In a more specic aspect the devicevcomprises a body having a cavity wherein studs are successively fed, for example, from a magazine. One

of the Walls of thecavity is provided with a shoulder having associated therewith either a bifurcated lip or a pair of pins which shoulder forms a platform or recess wherein successive studs are brought torest as they proceedthrougn the cavity. A cooperating member has a bifurcated end or opposed'pins normally arranged with respect to the lip at a distancel from the bottom of a recess substantially equal to the length oi the shank portion of the piece. The spaces between the tines (or opposed pins) of both the lipand the member` are spaced at a distance greater than the diameter of thetip portion and lesser than'the diameter of the shank portion so that as` studs having random axial orientation are vsuccessively forced from the shoulder by the plunger means, the studs having their shank portion" resting on the DllfforinY or recess are turned end forend, whereas the pieces having their tip resting on the platform or recess are pushed out directly so that all pieces are released from the device tip iirst.

In a further aspect the member having the bifurcated end is pivotally attached tothe body at its other end. 4An, eccentric contacts an intermediate vpoint vso that the distance between the bifurcated end and the biviurcate'd lip upon the shoulder canbe varied thereby to adjust for studs having shankportions with diiierent axial lengths.

`These and other objects and aspects will be apparent from the following description of an illustrative specific embodiment of therinvention referring to drawings in'whijch Fig. l is an elevation view of a iirst embodiment of the invention used to orient studs fed to a welding gun'; n

Fig. 2 is an end elevation view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;`

Fig. 3 is a s `ectional View on line 3-1-3 of Fig. 2 with the operating plunger' in the retracted position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view `on line BLK-3 of Fig. 2 with the plungerin the extended position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View online 5 5 of Fig. 4; f ,v

`Fig. 5 is anenlarged,iragmentarysectional view showing a stud 'with its'shank end resting in the shoulder recess Y Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view online 1 1 of Fig. 6;*y i l Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional viewon line s-:s of Figc;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner' in which thestueresung uponlits 3 shank end is forced out of the shoulder recess by the plunger;

Fig. is a fragmentary sectional view showing a stud with its tip end resting in the shoulder recess;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner in which the stud resting upon its tip end is forced out of the shoulder recess by the plunger;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 10 of a second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 8 of the embodiment shown in Fig. 12; and

lig. le is a view similar to Fig. 13 with the stud arranged oppositely.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration consists of a device (Fig. 1) which axially orients studs S so that they are successively fed tip first through a tube 22 to the chuck of a welding gun 24 of the type, for example, similar to that shown in the copending application of Harold J. Graham., Serial No. 81,130, led March 12, 1949, now Patent No. 2,610,278. The studs S are fed to the orienting device 2] through an escapement mechanism 26 and a tube 28 leading from a magazine equipped with an electrically operated feeder for introducing the studs into the tube 28 whose conventional construction is not material to the present invention and hence need not be described.

As is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the orienting device 2@ comprises a composite body 32 having a back plate 54 to which are secured two intermediate plates 35 and 35 by means of the screws 38 which extend through aligned apertures in the intermediate plates and front plates 45 and 42 (Fig. l) to engage corresponding threaded apertures in the back plate. Alignment of the various plates is maintained by dowel pins dll. An additional screw 45 projects through an aperture in the back plate 34 to engage a threaded aperture in the intermediate plate 35.

The remaining open portion of the front part of the device 2 is closed by a cover plate 4B which is pivotally secured by a large headed scre'w7 5S so that it can be opened to allow access to the intermediate plates 35 and 36 and the mechanism carried thereby which is described in detail below. plate 58 are preferably of a transparent synthetic acrylate resin so that the operation of the device can be observed by the operator.

The adjacent portions of the intermediate plates 35 and 35 are spaced to form an irregularly shaped cavity 52 whose front and rear sides are closed, respectively, by the back plate 34 and the cover plate 48, which cavity acts as a passageway for the studs. The feed portion 54 of the passageway is substantially square in cross-section, having a minimum dimension somewhat greater than the diameter of the shank portion of the studs to be oriented. At the bottom of the feed portion 54 is a shoulder having an insert 55 of an abrasive-resisting material such as tungsten carbide attached to the intermediate plate 55, for example, by silver soldering. As is best shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the insert 55 has a bifurcated lip 55 projecting normally upward thereby to form a cup or recess for receiving the forward ends of studs S dropped down the passageway 54.

A cooperating member 58 is pivotally connected at one end 59 to the back plate 34. The member 58 is disposed in a recess which normally The front -plates and 42 and the coverextends from the passageway 54 so that the tnes of the opposite bifurcated end 5D are disposed adjacent the passageway 54 directly above the lip 55 of the insert 55. To prevent rapid wear the bifurcated end 65 is preferably made of a separate piece of tungsten carbide which is silver soldered to the remainder of the lever 58. The distance between the bottom of the recess formed by the lip 55 and the bifurcated end 60 of the member 58 is determined by a screw 62 which is preferably provided with an eccentric head (Fig. 5) whereby the distance is adjusted to be equal substantially to the length of the shank portion of the stud S. The member 58 is yieldably urged against the screw 52 by a spring 6d, one end of which bears against the member. The other end of the spring G4 is held by a screw 55 whereby the force exerted by the spring may be varied.

The cavity 52 is enlarged adjacent the insert 55 and the member 58 so that the stud resting in the recess of the insert can be moved laterally by means of a pneumatically operated linger or plunger G3. rZlhe tip l0 of the plunger 68 is made of tungsten carbide or other abrasive-resisting material silver soldered or othe the end of the plunger. The oppo e end of the plunger is pressed into an aperture in a skirted piston 'E2 which is reciprocatingiy disposed in a cylinder block if; secured to the back plate 34 by the cap screws 15. The plunger G5 is biased in a retracted position by a spring 1S, one end of which is seated in the recess formed by the skirt of the piston t2. rEhe other end of the spring 18 engages a seat 89 which pressed into both the body and the block 'i4 thereby to maintain alignment of the cylinder and the aperture in the seat through which the plunger projects.

Compressor air or other operating fluid is introduced behind the plunger piston EL by a conduit 82 thereby to mov@ the plunger to force the stud S resting upon the insert 55 into the cavity 52. The stud S then conveyed through the cavity 52 into the conduit 22 which is secured to the bottom of the body 32 by means of a flange Sii and thence to the welding gun 24. Air leading by the piston is vented through a passageway 35 in the body As is shown in Figs. 12 through 14, the lower bifurcated insert can be replaced by a shoulder 55a of tungsten carbide and two oppositely disposed pointed pins which are threaded into apertures in the baokplate 34 and cover plate 48 respectively. The studs are locked in position by the nuts l to permit the tip portion to pass therebetween but to restrain the shank portion of the studs S. The bifurcated member is replaced by similarly arranged pins 55e and The studs S are introduced into the passage 58 by means of an escapement, preferably pneumatically operated such as the escapement 2S which can be synchronized with the operation of the plunger 58. The escapement 2t comprises a body wherein is provided an aperture such as the passageway 92 along into the top of which the studs S are introduced. The travel of the studs along the passageway Q2 is normally blocked, as in Fig. 3, by a finger ed which is reciprocatingly disposed in an aperture having an axis disposed perpendieularly to the axis of the passageway 92.

The linger 94 is biased in its passage-blocking position by a spring 96, one end of which seats upon a piston 98 attached to one end of the nacida-dac ger The' apposite' ed" of spring- 9'0 iijlV a recess ina hea'V |00 which isi-attached to the side 6I the bodyA 90 by the boltsv 95'. Arranged on either sidel f the centallypositioned linger 94 at a distance' therefrom greater than the overall axial length of a stud S are two flanking ngers |02 and |03,v respectively. With thej exception of their axial length these fing-ers |02 andv |03 are similar in construction, each having a tungsten carbide tipat one end and a; skirted piston |04j attached tothe other end thereof. Springs IIII are' arranged circumja'cent the fingers |02 and- |'3- respectively, between the c*o'rrelatedv pistons |04 and the end'of the cylinder apertures the body 90 wherein the respective pistons I 04 are disposed thereby tobias the 4fingers so that the endstlereof are normally clear of the passageway 922 Thennger 94 is ni'ovedlout: of the path of the studs S- against the restoring force exerted by the spring915 by compressed air or other working fluid-introduced through a conduit |06V (Fig. 2) in the side ofthebody 90' into the cylinder aperture on the finger sideY of the piston 9'8. After the" piston 98 hasmoved a sufficient distanceto uncover ports |08, air is introduced*behindV the pistons `|04 so that the corresponding lingers m2 and |"03are movedinto the passageway 92.

The escapement 25 is mounted on the top of the-orienting device 20,` being secured thereto by a stra-p |'I0` which is bolted to the sides of the escapem'ent' and device by means of the boltsv H2 so" that-'the feed passageway 9`2 in the escapement is inv alignment with the passageway 54 in the'- orienting device. This alignment is mainta'iriedfby a` bushing ||`4, the endsv of which are pressed into the bodiesV 2'6 and 90, respectively. The' aperture in the bushing IIflV is tapered to eliminate any discontinuities at the junction of thepassag'eways-Slancl 92. 'Ivh'e conduit ZB'leading from the magazine 30'is aligned with the top ofthepassagewa'y 92 by means ofv a flange lle.

The conduitsV 82 and |06 are connected to the supply of compressed air through a conventional two-waycontrol valve' (not shown), one position of which connectsthe conduits to the air supply, vthe other'valve position bleeding the conduits to atmosphere. Thev control valve may be actuatedA either" mechanically, vpneuma'tically or electrically; depending upon the means' of operationfof the apparatus associated therewith, the actuatingfmechanism being arranged to complete one operating cycle of thevalve during each cycle df'the welding gun 24.

As" described heretofore', the studs SA are fed from @the magazine Sil/to the conduit 28`in random axialorientation. The studs S proceed along the conduit' 23underV the force of gravity, aided, if necessary,v by a stream of compressed air, thence throughY the passageway 92 until their forward progress is^-blocked by the finger 94. The connecting off theY conduit |06 tothe compressed air supply'- bly" the control; as' describedv above, retracts-the `iinger 94's() that the stack of studs S is permitted totravelfurther along the passageway 92'. When thefinger 94 has been retracted suiciently so that the piston QS uncovers the ports |08; the ngers I02'and |03 are moved into the ypa'ssageway'92 "so that the next to thebottom studis forced againstthe passageway wall by the ng'er I 02 thereby" restraining vfurther movement ofthe stack, theringer lsimultaneously blocking` the passageway to restrain the bottom stud Whchih'asidrop'pedto the position shown inFig.- 4.

Thesbsquent"Venting of the conduit |06 t0 atmosphere' by the Vcontrol" valve` permitswthe spring 95 to returnthe ng'er S4 'sothat it `again blocks the passageway02. The' conjoint movement of the piston 98 bleeds the cylinders of the pistons |04 to atmospherethrough the ports |08 and a vent |20 so that the springs `|01 retract the ngers |02 and |03. The retraction of finger |02 releases the stack of studs so that it drops until again restrained by thev finger 911.k The simultaneous retraction of the finger Q3 releases the bottom stud so that it vdrops through the passageway 54 in thev orienting device 26 until the stud comes to rest in therecess in the' insert 55.

Upon the operation of the control valve, air under pressure is also supplied behind the piston 'I2 by the conduit 82 so that the linger 68 is moved to force the stud resting upon the insert 55 from the preceding operation of the escapement 26 into the cavity 52. Ii the studfiA isresting with the.- end of its shank portion upon the insert 55 (Fig. 6), the tines of the bifurcated lipportion 56 restrain such shank portion as the tip portion passesy between the tines of the biurcated end 50 so that.

the stud is turned end for end as it is moved by the plunger 68, the tip portion descending foremost, as is shown in Fig. 9. I f the stud is rest-- ing upon its tip portion (Fig. 10), the movement of the plunger E8 forces the tip portion between the tines of the insert lip 56. The shank portion is restrained by the tines of the end 50 so that the stud again descends tip foremost, as is shown in Fig. 11.

It will be understood that the lips 55a, 56h of base 55 and the tines 50a, 60h of biiurcated end 60 (Figs. 6 to 11) perform the same function as the pin points 55o, 56d and the pin points 50c, d (Figs. 12 to 14), namely those of relatively movable diameter vgau'geswhich together constitute a selective ejector stop. The two gauges, by virtue of the eiective distance of their jaws (the gaps 5ta-50o, Ella-b and 5Go-56d, 60C-Sed, respectively), discriminate between shank and tip diameters of the studs, whereas the stop defined by the gauge pair, as by virtue of the effective distance between the gauges, selectively ejects thestuds as discriminated by the gauges so that bothV originally tip up studs andv tip down. studs, enter conduit 52 in the proper tip down posi-.

tion.

It should be understood that the present dis-- closure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the.l

appended claims.

We claim:

1. A device for orienting studs of the type hav'- ing an extending tip portion oi lesser diameter than its shank portion, comprisinga stop for engaging one end of a stud, means for introducing a stud into said device so that a random, end thereof comes to rest on said stop, a biiurcatedA member positioned adjacent either end of said. stud as it rests upon the stop, the spaces between the tines of both bifurcatedmernbers being greater than the diameter of the tip portion. and lesser than the diameter of the shank portion, and means for moving astud-from said stop ing an extending tip portion of lesser diameter than its shank portion, comprising a stop for engaging one end of a stud, means for introducing a stud into said device so that a random end thereof comes to rest on said stop, a bifurcated member positioned adjacent either end of said stud as it rests upon the stop, the spaces between the tines of both bifurcated members being .greater than the diameter of the tip portion and lesser than the diameter of the shank portion, and a pneumatically operated plunger having a path of action intermediate the bifurcated members transverse the axis of a stud resting upon said stop for moving said stud from said stop to bring the shank portion thereof into contact with the tines of one of said bifurcated members and conjointly to cause the tip portion to pass between the tines of the other member thereby to release said stud from said device, tip portion foremost, irrespective of the orientation with which the stud was introduced into said device.

3. A device for orienting studs of the type having an extending tip portion of lesser diameter than its shank portion, comprising a iirst member having a recess, one wall of which recess is formed by a projecting bifurcated lip, the bottom of the recess forming a stop, means for guiding a stud introduced into said device so that a random end thereof rests upon the stop, a second member having a bifurcated portion arranged at a distance from the bottom of the recess substantially equal to the length of the shank portion of a stud so that said bifurcated portion is adjacent the opposite end of a stud resting upon the stop, the spaces between the tines of both the lip and bifurcated portion being greater than the diameter of the tip portion and lesser than the diameter' of the shank portion, and means for moving a stud from said stop to bring the shank portion thereof into contact with the tines of one of said bifurcated members and conjointly to cause the tip portion to pass between the tines of the other member thereby to release said stud from said device, tip portion foremost, irrespective of the orientation with which the stud Was introduced into said device.

4.. A device for orienting studs of the type having an extending tip portion of lesser diameter than its shank portion, comprising a rst member having a recess, one wall of which recess is formed by a projecting bifurcated lip, the bottom of the recess forming a stop, means including a passageway arranged so that a stud introduced into said device comes to rest with a random end resting upon the stop, a second member having a bifurcated portion arranged at a distance from the stop which is substantially equal to the length of the shank portion of a stud so that said bifurcated portion is adjacent the opposite end of a stud resting upon the stop, the spaces between the tines of both members being greater than the diameter of the tip portion and lesser than the diameter of the shank portion, and a pneumatically operated plunger having a path of action transverse the passageway for moving a stud from said stop to bring the shank portion thereof into Contact with the tines of one of said bifurcated members and conjointly to cause the tip portion to pass between the tines of the other member thereby to release said stud from said device, tip portion foremost, irrespective of the orientation with which the stud was introduced into said de- Avice.

5. A device for orienting studs of the type having an extending tip portion of lesser diameter than its shank portion, comprising a body having a cavity wherein a stud is fedy the wall of said cavity having a shoulder with a bifurcated lip forming a stop wherein a random end of each stud comes to rest as it is fed into the device, a member having a bifurcated end arranged at a distance from the stop which is substantially equal to the length of the shank portion of a stud so that said bifurcated portion is adjacent the opposite end of a stud resting upon the stop, the spaces between the tines of both the bifurcated lip and the bifurcated member being greater than the diameter of the tip portion and .lesser than the diameter of the shank portion, and means for moving a stud from said stop to bring the shank portion thereof into contact with the tines of one of said bifurcated members and conjointly to cause the tip portion to pass between the tines of the other member thereby to release said stud from said device, tip portion foremost, irrespective of the orientation with which the stud was introduced into said device.

6. A device for orienting studs of the type having an extending tip portion of lesser diameter than its shank portion, comprising a stop for engaging one end of a stud, means for introducing a stud into said device so that a random end thereof comes to rest on said stop, two pairs of cooperative fingers, one of which pairs is located adjacent said stop, the other pair being positioned at a distance from. the stop which is substantially equal to the length of the shank portion of the stud, the spaces between the fingers of both pairs being greater than the diameter of the tip portion and lesser than the diameter of the shank portion, and means for moving a stud from said stop to bring the shank portion thereof into contact with one pair of said iingers and conjointly to cause the tip portion to pass between the other pair of said fingers thereby to release said stud from said device, tip portion foremost, irrespective of the orientation with which the stud was introduced into said device.

7. A device for orienting studs of the type having an extending tip portion of lesser diameter than its shank portion, comprising a stop for engaging one end of a stud, means for introducing a stud into said device so that a random end thereof comes to rest on said stop, two pairs of cooperating fingers one of which pairs is located adjacent said stop, the second pair being positioned at a distance from the stop which is being substantially equal to the length of the shank portion of a stud so that said second pair is adjacent the opposite end of said stud, the spaces between the fingers of both pairs being greater than the diameter of the tip portion and lesser than the diameter of the shank portion, and a power operated plunger having a path of action intermediate the pairs of fingers transverse the axis of a stud resting upon the stop for moving said stud from said stop to bring the shank portion thereof into contact with one pair of said fingers and conjointly to cause the tip portion to pass between the other pair of said fingers thereby to release said stud from said device, tip portion foremost, irrespective of the orientation with which the stud was introduced into said device.

8. A device for orienting studs of the type having an extending tip portion of lesser diameter than its shank portion, comprising a body including a passageway having a shoulder forming a stop arranged so that a stud inserted in the passage- Way comes to rest with a random end resting upon the stop, a first pair of cooperating fingers located adjacent said stop, a second pair of cooperating fingers arranged at a distance from said stop substantially equal to the shank portion of a stud so that said second pair is adjacent the opposite end of a stud resting upon said stop, the spaces between the lingers of both pairs being greater than the diameter of the tip portion and lesser than the diameter of the shank portion, and a power operated plunger having a path of action transverse the passageway for moving a stud from said stop to bring the shank portion thereof into contact with one pair of said fingers and conjointly to cause the tip portion to pass the other pair of said ngers thereby to release said stud from said device tip portion foremost irrespective of the orientation with which the stud was introduced into said device.

9. A device for orienting studs of the type having an extended tip portion of lesser diameter than its shank portion, comprising a Ibody having a cavity wherein the studs are successively fed, the wall of the cavity having a shoulder forming a stop whereon a random end of a stud comes to rest as it is fed into the device, a pair of oppositely disposed pins arranged adjacent said shoulder, a second pair of oppositely disposed pins arranged with respect to the shoulder at a distance l0 substantially equal to the length of the shank portion of a stud so that said second pair is adjacent the opposite end of a stud resting upon said stop, the spaces between the pins of both pairs being greater than the diameter of the tip portion and lesser than the diameter of the shank portion, and means for moving a stud from said stop to bring the shank portion thereof into contact with one pair of said pins and conjointly to cause the tip portion to pass between the other pair of said pins thereby to release said stud from said device, tip portion foremost, irrespective of the orientation with which the stud was introduced into said device.

HAROLD J. GRAHAM. PAUL F. POWDER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

